Haute chocolate

Photo: Harry Pocius

My daughter, Belle, may be only two, but she’s already a confirmed chocoholic, smitten since the day I gave her a bar of Belgian Côte d’Or to gnaw on when she was still teething (is that wrong?). So recently we set off together on a delicious odyssey, hitting five choco-themed cafés—which appear to be usurping the cupcake shop as the trendy dessertcentric hangout of choice. Our mission? To find out if their offerings are at least better than the contents of a Whitman’s Sampler; which one best suited a variety of different cravings; and how friendly the proprietors really are to a toddler with truffle-stained paws, high on phenylethylamine.

Cocoa Bar

When it comes to combining a family-friendly vibe, tasty snacks and a certain dwell chic, the Cocoa Bar (owned by husband-and-wife team Yaniv Reeis and Liat Cohen, who are also longtime locals) may pose the first real challenge to the dominance of the Slope-based Tea Lounges. This recently opened sweet spot offers a comfy lounging space and an enclosed back garden (which may stay open all winter), where Belle happily darted between tables packed with families and writers on laptops. In keeping with the season, most everyone was enjoying rich hot chocolate ($3.75), served in groovy, clear Bodum glasses. (I recommend getting one of the homemade jumbo marshmallows—a bargain at 75¢ each—for floating on top or, even better, for dunking).

Although the chocolates on display aren’t made on the premises, Cocoa Bar does import from the very best: Leonidas, a line of highly regarded Belgian chocolates (98¢—$1.50 per piece), are shipped in via express mail every week. The bar also boasts a talented guest baker: 12-year-old Matt, who stops by occasionally to sell his homemade mint-fudge brownies ($1 each).

Grown-up indulgence Valrhona chocolate layer cake ($5.25)

Kid favorite Chocolate-and-caramel–covered apple ($7.50)

228 Seventh Ave between 3rd and 4th Sts, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-499-4080, www.cocoabarnyc.com)

The Chocolate Room

Our next stop returned Bella and me to early-20th century Brooklyn. Naomi Josepher and Jon Payson (another husband-and-wife team) have outfitted their neighborhood joint with tiled floors, a tin ceiling and exposed brick walls, creating an intimate old-world feel. And they deliver on more than atmosphere: Cakes, ice creams and a decadent chocolate fondue are all made in a small open kitchen in the back of the café where kids can view the action. Patrons can also order chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt’s creative truffles—red-chili–tangerine ganache, caramel with lavender—to taste or take home ($1.20–$1.60 per piece).

While Belle polished off a slice of classic chocolate layer cake (moist and fudgy, $5.50), I asked the waiter, a friendly guy with a tongue piercing, what he recommended. He brought me a sample of mint chocolate-chip ice cream. No exaggeration: The mint tasted as if it had been freshly clipped from a sun-soaked garden mere hours before, and although the dessert was more icy than creamy, it was speckled with tasty little nuggets of chocolate. I’d eat it on a cold day just to remind me of summer.

Grown-up indulgence Chocolate fondue ($12 for a portion that feeds two)

Kid favorite Double scoop of ice cream with hot fudge and fresh whipped cream ($7)

86 Fifth Ave between St. Marks Place and Warren St, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-783-2900, www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com)

Jaques Torres Chocolate Kitchen

On the Manhattan leg of our tour I was expecting Belle to come down with a bout of Chocolate Fever (one of my favorite books growing up), and me to be reported to the Children’s Services because of her excessive sugar consumption. Still, I didn’t have to lobby hard to get Belle’s dad, a friend and her son, Sam, to join us for this sprint. Jacques Torres, Food Network star and former pastry chef at Le Cirque, is not content to buy quality chocolate and turn it into candies and bars; he also orders cocoa beans from around the world, and roasts and processes them himself—a start-from-scratch procedure that visitors to his Chocolate Haven store (part of his growing culinary empire) can witness through the glass walls, in a Willy Wonka fantasy come to life.

We all sat down at Lilliputian-sized tables and chairs to feast on lollipops, chocolate-covered Cheerios, and chewy chocolate-chip cookies the size of Ping-Pong paddles. The best part about Haven is the whimsical nature of Torres’s creations—he creates with the mind of a child, but produces chocolate like a master. Just one negative: Because the Haven is a retail store, a bathroom is not considered a mandatory amenity.

Grown-up indulgence Wicked hot chocolate (made with cinnamon and chilis; $3)

Kid favorite Chocolate-covered Cheerios ($5.42)

350 Hudson St between Charlton and King Sts (212-414-2462, www.mrchocolate.com)

Chocolate Bar

Who knew that chocolate could be hazardous to your health? On the way to Chocolate Bar, Belle appeared to be in the thralls of a cocoa overdose (she had that sleepy yet maniacal gaze that only toddlers seem to get), and her buddy Sam was suffering from an allergic reaction to dairy, brought on by eating one milk-chocolate–dipped Cheerio. But a swig of Benadryl took care of the hives and we were able to make it to our next stop.

Chocolate Bar is owned by Alison Nelson, who’d always wanted to open a casual spot where someone like her firefighter dad, could have stopped by after his shift. She succeeded. With its cheery turquoise-blue storefront and orange-and-brown decor (the ubiquitous color scheme in these establishments), Chocolate Bar is a snug neighborhood hangout. There are stools along the front window for watching pedestrians and their dogs walk by, and in back is a tiny seating area where parents can sip strong, excellent coffee while their kids work on the Elvis, a hockey-puck–size confection covered in chocolate and filled with banana, marshmallow and peanut butter made by Sweet Bliss chocolatier Ilene C. Shane. Throw in a bag of buttery chocolate-caramel corn ($5.50) and friendly service, and the Bar makes for a perfect pit stop.

Grown-up indulgence Dark-chocolate mocha coffee (large, $2.50)

Kid favorite Retro Bar with salted pretzel pieces in milk chocolate ($3)

48 Eighth Ave between Horatio and W 4th Sts (212-367-7181, www.chocolatebarnyc.com)

La Maison du Chocolate Tea Salon

For this last foray, Belle and I were on our own. The Madison Avenue outpost of this Paris-based chain of shops, headed by famed chocolatier Robert Linxe, is a hushed brown temple. I was nervous the second we approached the entrance and saw a golden plaque that stated something like ‘we hate strollers.’ Undeterred, Belle and I—and her ride—breached the front door. To get to the salon in back, one has to pass through a gauntlet of wary-looking salespeople, meticulous display cases filled with tempting bonbons, and then a carpeted stairway, which Belle scampered up while I hauled the stroller to the top. We sat down on the plush chairs, admired the caramel box of a room, and just when I’d half-expected someone to hit an eject button and catapult us to the curb, we were approached by a young guy who took our order with a big smile. He delivered an incredibly smooth and rich hot chocolate ($7), served in a beautiful china cup with a side of fresh whipped cream, which Belle proceeded to wipe on one of the upholstered chairs. We also ordered the house specialty, an assortment of macaroons: pistachio, lemon, vanilla and chocolate ($1.50 each)—ideal for little hands and tiny bites.

The whole thing was terribly chic, and the chocolate is some of the most delicious to be found anywhere. Would I recommend this place for a rambunctious kid? Nope. But for that well-behaved child who feels at home at the Met, this place, just around the corner, knows how to make chocolate a special occasion.

Grown-up indulgence Delice, chocolate-almond cake with dark truffle mousse ($6)

Kid favoriteMendiants, slabs of chocolate studded with dried fruits and nuts ($58 per pound)

1018 Madison Ave between 78th and 79th Sts (212-744-7117)